Vibratory conveying devices are widely used for handling of food products, such as vegetables, during processing. These types of devices typically include a generally elongated conveyor bed which is vibrated by an associated drive to effect conveyance of food products along the length of the bed.
During routine handling and processing of many food products, and in particular so-called root crop food products, stones or other objects may be present in the food product. Many handling systems typically utilize mechanical screening ("scalping") arrangements to eliminate stones or foreign matter from the food product during processing. However, while such mechanical screening normally works well for removal of stones or other objects which are of a size different from the food product being conveyed, such arrangements are ineffective for removal of stones or other objects which are similar in size and shape to the particular food product. In such circumstances, it has been necessary to resort to so-called water-floating arrangements for effecting separation of foreign objects, or to visual inspection of the food product. Of course, the removal of foreign objects from the food product is extremely important for the overall efficiency of the food processing operation, since stones or like objects usually damage food-processing equipment (i.e., cutters, shredders, knives, grids, sieves, etc.), thus resulting in undesirable processing down-time and equipment maintenance. Undesirable adulteration of the food product can also result if the foreign object is fragmented by processing equipment.
The present invention contemplates an automated arrangement for effecting separation of foreign objects from different food products, even if the foreign objects are sized and shaped similarly to the food product which is being processed.